Graduation
by Nymphean
Summary: It's Harry's graduation, and Sirius gets a big wake up call. Featuring Harry/Sev, insane Sirius and eerily calm remus. Post 'tis the season' (installment #2)


A/N: Another Harry/Sev… in the 'tis the season storyline… what else is tere to say? Very A/U… this was written pre-phoenix. That should say it all. Enjoy! Graduation 

"I'll rip his fucking head off!" 

These were the first words Remus Lupin heard from Sirius Black on the morning of Harry James Potter's graduation from Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. He'd been asleep when Sirius had left their rooms, and hadn't seen his lover until he'd come bursting angrily through the door. Remus looked up as Sirius slammed the door and calmly said, "Don't forget to wipe your feet." Sirius stormed right past him—dirty boots and all– and continued to rave.

"I mean, what is he THINKING? That stupid, stupid boy,,, he has no idea—NO IDEA-- what he's getting himself into. He's endangering himself… his very LIFE could be in jeopardy!" Sirius stood over Remus' chair and glared down at him. "Well? Aren't you going to ask just what it is he's done?"

Remus rolled his eyes at his lover and picked up his teacup. "No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me anyhow."

"He's banging Snape!" Sirius burst out, unable to contain his fury. "SNAPE, Remus!"

"I know," Remus replied, calmly stirring his tea. Sirius opened his mouth to start yelling again, and then did a double take.

"You… what?" 

Remus took a sip of tea, set the cup slowly back on the saucer and said, "I know. I've known for a while now. And if Harry hadn't been so afraid that you'd do exactly what you're doing now, than you probably would have known too." Remus paused for a second, taking in the look on Sirius' face. "Oh, don't look like that… he didn't tell me or anything, but it became fairly obvious what was going on once I started watching the both of them a little more carefully."

Sirius was dumbfounded, and then the fury return to his face, this time directed at Remus. "How could you know about this and not tell me? Better yet, how could you just sit hear and not DO anything about it? It's… It's disgusting, it's wrong, it's…"

"Really quite nice once you get used to the idea." Remus patted Sirius' hand comfortingly. "Sit down, Sirius. Have some tea."

Sirius just glared lethally. "You've been spending too much time with Albus," Sirius muttered under his breath before sitting. Remus smiled placidly. 

"Good boy."

He was rewarded with another glare.

After five minutes of pretending not to notice that Sirius was glaring at him without moving, Remus had finally had enough. "Alright," He said soothingly. "Why don't you tell me exactly what went on between you and your godson this morning?"

*****

"I'm glad you're here, Sirius… there's something we have to talk about." Harry seemed distracted and a little uneasy. Sirius wondered what could possibly be wrong. These days, without the threat of Voldemort hanging over their heads, Harry usually seemed quite happy, very much at peace with himself and the world. Sirius though he'd never seen his godson more happy than he'd been in the past few months. But today, something was troubling Harry, and Sirius had the sinking feeling that he was about to find out just exactly what it was.

"You know you can tell me anything, Harry," Sirius said, trying his best to sound reassuring while at the same time worrying himself sick over what might be wrong. Harry breathed in deeply and looked his godfather in the eye. 

"Okay, here goes…" Harry frowned and forged ahead. "I've been seeing someone over the past few months, and I think it's really serious. We're thinking of living together after I graduate, so I'm going to be moving out." He searched his godfather's face for any signs of the other man's reaction to this news. "I'll still come and see you and Remus all the time… nothing will really be all that different… But if I'm going to be out in the world, working and all that anyway, I might as well be… well, you know… on my own."

"Except you won't BE alone," Sirius said, before letting a small smile crawl onto his face. "Well, I suppose congratulations are in order… mind telling me who the lucky girl is?"

Harry bit his lower lip, and Sirius barely had time to reconsider his last sentence before Harry said, "Well, it's actually not so much a girl as a… well, he's a man…" Sirius' smile grew wider.

"Is THAT what you were so worried about?" He asked, putting an arm around his godson. "Harry… you KNOW that I'll always accept you for who you are… why would you think even for a minute that, of all people, _I_ would object to you being gay?" Harry laughed, still tense, and Sirius shook his head. "You silly git… you never have to worry about my approval.. I know you're a smart enough person to do whatever's best for yourself. So," He said, a bit slyly, "Who is it, then?"

Harry shrugged off his godfather's arm and instinctively took a step away from him. "It's Se… um, Profes… er, it's Snape."

Sirius froze. Harry held his breath. Sirius blinked. Harry winced. Sirius turned, opened the door, and stepped out of the room, slamming it behind him. 

*****

Remus regarded his lover evenly, raising one eyebrow. "So you just left without saying anything. Nice, Sirius."

"Well, what do you expect me to do, pat him on the back and offer congratulations?"

"To be fair, you HAD just finished telling him how you'd always be there to support him." Remus gave Sirius a very pointed look. "And it could be worse…"

"It could?" Sirius stood up and began to pace. "HOW?!" Remus gave a little snort of laughter.

"I don't see why you're so angry at Harry… I actually would have thought you'd be more upset with Severus over this." Sirius glared at Remus. 

"_Don't_ mention that name in my presence," He snarled.

"Oh," said Remus, stepping back. "I see."

*****

Harry sat on his team's bench on the Quidditch pitch, kicking absently at the sand and thinking. About Sirius, about Severus, about how on earth he was supposed to deal with the fallout from this. Sirius had been VERY angry… he'd probably never speak to him again, and even if he did, he'd never accept Harry's relationship with Severus. Harry sighed heavily.

"Shouldn't you be inside?" Harry closed his eyes at the sound of his voice. It was the only thing he could think of that was capable of comforting him right now. He opened his eyes again and turned slowly towards the sound of his voice.

"Sev…" Harry had tried to sound normal, but his voice trembled and he couldn't raise it above a whisper. A momentary flash of concern passed over Severus' face as he sat down beside his younger lover. 

"You're upset," He stated. Harry laughed sarcastically, lip trembling. "Don't tell me you're going to cry now."

Harry looked up at Severus and their eyes met. Snape's look was almost challenging. "I'm sorry," Harry whispered. "I can't help it…"

Severus shook his head and moved closer to Harry, embracing him. "Oh, for Christ's sake… go ahead and cry if you want to." This made Harry laugh a little, and Severus did his best not to smile. Scare tactics were lost on the boy nowadays.

Harry stayed still in Snape's arms, relishing in the protection he felt when he was there. He was tired of having to be the protector all the time. It felt nice, for a change, to have someone taking care of him. After a while, he pulled away.

"Thank you," He said sincerely. "That was exactly what I needed."

"Thank the gods you're so easy to please," Severus replied sarcastically, making Harry smile again. He'd begun to love the bitter, sarcastic side of the man almost as fiercely as he loved the softer side, the side even he only got to see for fleeting, infrequent moments through the veil his lover always wore. Severus almost never let himself be free of his disguise, and yet, somehow, Harry didn't know if he'd want it any other way. THIS was the Severus he loved. He didn't see the need to change him.

Severus lifted Harry's chin with a long, graceful finger. "Look at me when I'm talking to you," He said, his voice heavy with threat and mockery. Harry raised an eyebrow.

"You were talking?"

"Insolent Brat."

"Slimy Git."

*****

Remus stepped up to the door to Snape's rooms in the dungeon, fully prepared to spend the better part of his day waiting for the pair inside to let him in if he had to. He wouldn't have blamed Harry if the boy had wanted nothing more than to avoid everyone (except, of course, Severus) until the graduation ceremony started, But Remus felt it was important that he talk to him as soon as possible. After all, Harry was practically Remus' godson too, even if he hadn't been officially named as such. 

To Remus' surprise, however, his knock was answered quite promptly by a short-winded, red-lipped Severus Snape. Remus simply raised an eyebrow at the Professor and strode past him into the other man's chambers. It wasn't long before he spotted that the door to the bedroom was slightly ajar. 

"Harry? You can come out now," Remus said, a smile creeping onto his face. "It's all right… I muzzled Sirius and tied his leash to a lamppost outside." 

"A picture I could have done without," Snape interjected as he closed the door. Harry peered around the doorframe. 

"He didn't mean it like that, Sev…" Harry met Remus' eyes, and the older man opened his arms. Harry waited a moment before running forward and falling into them. Remus smiled down at him, patting his back.

"Don't look so upset, Harry… it's not all that bad."

"Remus…" Harry sounded almost incredulous at the idea that the other man was there. "I got so worried that once Sirius told you…"

"What, we'd never speak to you again?" Remus said it like a joke, but Harry's face showed him that he was probably right on the mark. "Oh, Harry, don't be ridiculous. You don't think I could have possibly been blind to everything that's been going on in your life for the past few months, do you? Really… I can see how you'd expect that kind of ignorance from Sirius, but ME?" Remus shook his head, and Harry laughed half-heartedly. 

"It was just, with how he reacted…"

Remus sighed. "He'll come around. He loves you very much… we both do. And that's a powerful thing." 

"Aw… how touching." Both Remus and Harry turned, scowling, to face Severus. 

"I'd forgotten you were there," Harry said darkly. "Pity you had to go and remind me." Severus glared back.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for insolence."

"You wouldn't dare."

Remus crossed his arms. "Now THERE is a healthy relationship."

*****

"As I look back on my years at Hogwarts, there are many memories that come to mind. The good times, the bad times, the laughter and tears, the joy and the sorrow. Everything that has happened to me on my journey to this very moment has affected the person I am today, and the person I have yet to become." Hermione Granger stood behind the podium in front of her graduating class, giving the valedictory address that had been rightfully hers since the sorting in their first year. From the audience, Harry watched her with a smile on his face, despite the turmoil inside of him. He still hadn't resolved things with Sirius. His godfather was sitting up at the front of the great hall with the teachers, but no matter how hard Harry tried to meet his eye, Sirius refused to look at him. Severus, however, was watching him steadily, and every now and then Harry would shoot him a half-smile. 

"By far, the things that have affected me the most through my education at Hogwarts are the people. The school itself is a beautiful and magical place, but it is the people within these walls that make this school seem so _alive._ Every single professor in this school has touched my life in some way or another. But by far the most important people I have met at Hogwarts are my friends. Over the seven years I've been here, I have met so many wonderful people, and those people have made such a difference to who I am. I've lived with these people for the better part of seven years… the best seven years of my life. We've laughed together, cried together, learned together… we've even stared death in the face and lived to tell about it." Hermione looked at Harry and Ron with this and smiled a little. "I know that, personally, I will never forget the friends I have made at Hogwarts, and the lessons those wonderful people have taught me. And I know that most of you can say the same."

As Hermione stepped down from the podium, there was a thunderous applause from the Gryffindors (as well as a moderate amount from most of the other houses). Then Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for," said the old man with a twinkle in his eye. "The diplomas."

Harry barely heard the names being called, so preoccupied was he with trying to get his Godfather's attention. He didn't notice when Abbot, Hanna took her diploma and shook the hands of everyone in the teacher's section. He was too zoned out to hear McGonnagal calling out the names of Brown, Lavender, Finnigan, Seamus and Longbottom, Neville (who tripped on the hem of his robe while mounting the platform to shake hands with Dumbledore). In fact, it wasn't until McGonnagal called out Patil, Parvati that Harry snapped out of his trance and realized he was next. He waited while McGonnagal announced that Parvati was destined for a school for the training of professional astrologers, and the heard his head of house call his name. He started for the stage. 

"Potter, Harry. Mr. Potter will be staying at Hogwarts school to begin his training as a professor. Harry shook hands with Dumbledore as he handed him his diploma. 

"Sir," Harry said. Dumbledore smiled kindly. 

"Call me Albus," the old man whispered, before winking. Harry grinned back and went on to shake Professor McGonnagal's hand. 

"Congratulations, Harry," She said earnestly. She had tears in her eyes. 

Harry continued on, shaking the hands of every teacher he'd ever had and even some he'd never been in class with. He came to Severus.

"Well done, Mr. Potter," he whispered as their hands came together. "Good thing you didn't fail… then I'd be stuck with you."

"You're stuck with me anyway," Harry whispered, winking as they pulled apart. He though he saw a faint smile playing on Sev's face, but he couldn't be sure. He kept moving down the line, and finally came to Sirius. Harry grabbed his godfather's hand and looked at him, finally forcing their eyes to meet.

"Sirius," He began. His godfather shook his head. 

"Don't," Sirius said quietly, and then he rolled his eyes. "Christ, you know I want to strangle you sometimes." Harry saw a smile creeping onto his godfather's face. 

"You're not mad!" He exclaimed, pulling his godfather into a quick hug. Sirius scowled. 

"You're wrong… I'm mad as hell. But that's my problem." Sirius winked and flashed Harry a grin. "We'll talk about this later." Harry moved to go down the line, but Sirius grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Oh, and Harry?"

"Yeah?"

Sirius leaned in so that he could whisper in Harry's ear without being overheard. "Tell that greasy git I'm the in-law from hell."

**The End.**


End file.
